"This..." Lin Kai stared at the glowing grass on the shelf, tempted to absorb it right away. However, glancing at Bo Qin and the old man, he quickly pushed those reckless thoughts aside. He knew better than to do something so stupid, especially since he had already used up his daily absorption quota.
He glanced at Bo Qin for an answer, hoping to know more about the herb he was touching, but seeing his embarrassed expression, Lin Kai just smiled. After spending the entire day with him, he had nearly forgotten that this guy had little to no practical knowledge.
Leaving the herb, Lin Kai moved on to inspect other items in the shop. He didn't need to pick them up; a simple touch would be enough to tell whether he could absorb them or not.
"If you're done looking, you can leave now." Just when Lin Kai was about to reach for another herb, he heard the calm but firm voice of the shopkeeper behind him. Turning around, he saw the old man who had now opened his eyes and was looking at him with an annoyed look.
"Sorry about that." Lin Kai smiled apologetically, knowing he couldn't ignore the shop owner's request. Reluctantly, he gave a polite nod and walked out of the building.
The two of them didn't leave the market immediately instead they chose to wander for a while longer.
"Want to check out the Rain Pavilion?" Just when Lin Kai was wondering where to head next, Bo Qin made a suggestion.
"Sure." Lin Kai nodded quickly. The Rain Pavilion was the biggest shop in Qinglong. Three months ago, when he had considered selling his house, it had been the first place he visited.
After some twists and turns, the two of them stood in front of a large exquisite building that was four stories tall. Instead of the paper runes lighting up the area, there were small red lanterns giving off a hazy glow, making this building appear even more exquisite and dreamy in this night market.
As they stepped inside, Lin Kai noticed the large hall was filled with bustling people. The first floor was simple, lined with small booths where customers could inquire about various items. At the back of the hall was an elegant wooden stairway leading to the second floor, guarded by two stern-looking men. Lin Kai saw a few people flashing jade tokens to gain access to the upper levels. He didn't know what treasures were hidden above, but he could only imagine.
"Looking to buy something?" Bo Qin asked, noticing Lin Kai's gaze lingering on the booths. He had seen the same expression earlier at the herb shop but hadn't commented. Now, however, they were in the town's most prominent trading hall, and Bo Qin couldn't resist asking.
"Heh..." Lin Kai gave a dry laugh. Of course, he wanted to buy things—many things. Unfortunately, he had no money.
"I see..." Bo Qin's eyes widened in sudden realization. No wonder this guy was asking for ways to earn money. Until now, Bo Qin had assumed that Lin Kai, not being a beggar, must have had some resources. But seeing his current state, Bo Qin began to think Lin Kai might be even poorer than he was.
"Let's get out of here." Bo Qin quickly grabbed Lin Kai's arm and dragged him toward the exit. He was afraid that if they stayed any longer, Lin Kai might start asking him for money.
Though reluctant, Lin Kai followed him outside. Even without money, they continued wandering the streets for a while, each lost in his thoughts. Lin Kai was frustrated at his lack of money, while Bo Qin was overwhelmed with emotion. Just a week ago, he had been sneaking through these very streets, dodging guards and begging for scraps. Now, his circumstances had shifted dramatically.
"This place..." Lin Kai frowned as they came upon another impressive building, perhaps even grander than the Rain Pavilion. But he couldn't recall what it was used for.
"Red Dust Mansion," Bo Qin murmured, his voice tinged with longing.
"Uh?" Lin Kai shot Bo Qin a confused glance, seeing his companion staring at the building with infatuation. He tried hard to recall where he had heard the name before but he just couldn't remember it.
"They say the beauties here are like fairies," Bo Qin continued dreamily.
"Oh..." It was at this moment that realization hit Lin Kai. "It's the brothel." Red Dust Mansion was the town's only brothel. He had heard this name many times in the Martial Hall during his stay there. No wonder Bo Qin had such a look on his face.
Lin Kai glanced at the entrance. Despite the steady flow of men going in and out, there were no women outside enticing customers. It was clear this was a well-known establishment that didn't need to advertise itself.
"Let's go." This time, Lin Kai was the one pulling Bo Qin away. Unlike Bo Qin, he had no desire to enter such a place. He much preferred the quiet peace of the forest, with birds chirping and gentle breezes over anything the brothel could offer.
After a bit more wandering, it was clear neither of them had any interest in staying out any longer. With one last look at the bustling night market, they both turned and headed back to the Ji family grounds—back to their rooms.
-----------
The next day, Lin Kai woke up and headed toward the clearing for his usual task—chopping bamboo trees. As he walked, his mind remained preoccupied with thoughts of how to earn money. But no matter how hard he racked his brain, nothing came to mind.
In his previous life, all he did was sit in front of his computer, coding from morning until night. He barely knew anything about the practical world. He didn't know how to make glass, sugar, or gunpowder. His knowledge of modern technology was just as limited as the people here, who had never seen or heard of such things.
"If only I'd paid more attention to other stuff..." Lin Kai muttered with a tone of regret. He'd devoted his life to coding, and in the end, he had nothing to show for it. His thoughts wandered to ideas of copying stories from movies or TV shows he had seen on Earth. But he didn't know if people in this world would care for such tales. After all, unlike Earth, where fantasy offered an escape from reality, this world wasn't in need of such escapes.
"Tch..." Clicking his tongue in frustration, Lin Kai finally reached the clearing.
Just as he was about to pick up the axe and head into the forest, the middle-aged man sitting there called out to him.
"Wait a second, young man." The man's voice was gentle with a hint of majesty.
"Senior," Lin Kai greeted him with a respectful bow, not daring to ignore his words.
The man stared at him for a moment before sighing. "You look like you're capable. Did you know that there's a martial library for servants?"
"Huh?!" Lin Kai was taken aback. He must've misheard. Not only were the servants given such preferential treatment, but they even had their own library. For a moment, Lin Kai couldn't help but wonder if there was something wrong with the heads of people from the Ji family.
The man, sensing his confusion, chuckled softly and closed his eyes again, leaving Lin Kai with a few more words. "You can only visit the library on your day off. Don't forget that."
Lin Kai nodded absently as he made his way into the bamboo forest, his mind still whirling with confusion. Why was the Ji family being so generous to their servants? He couldn't believe they were doing it out of the kindness of their hearts.
"Are they trying to improve their reputation?" That was the only explanation he could come up with. Since the Ji family was relatively new to the area, there were still rumors about how they had seized control. Perhaps they were trying to gain public favor by treating their servants so well. After all, if a family treated its servants kindly, one could only imagine how they treated their allies.
The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
"Hmm... What are they really up to?" Lin Kai's thoughts drifted, not because he was particularly interested in the Ji family, but simply because he was bored. His chores were so easy that they hardly took any effort, leaving him with nothing to do for most of the day. So, thinking about the Ji family's motives became a way to pass the time.
After absorbing a bamboo tree, Lin Kai glanced at the panel in front of him.
[Name: Lin Kai]
[Realm: 8th Step (False) (7/10 Iron Bones)]
[Skills: None]
"Just three more days..." he muttered to himself, looking forward to the changes that would come once he absorbed three more Iron Bamboos. The first one he absorbed had already brought drastic improvements to his strength, and he could only imagine the transformation that ten would bring.
----------
Days flew by in the blink of an eye. Every day, Lin Kai woke up, chopped four bamboo trees, absorbed one, and spent the rest of his time doing nothing. The monotony was almost unbearable, but finally, the last day arrived.
"Huff..." Lin Kai exhaled deeply as he looked at the bamboo tree before him, resisting the urge to absorb it immediately. The last time he absorbed one, the changes had been so extreme that he lost track of time. He didn't want to repeat that mistake. So, instead, he waited until evening.
After completing his daily quota of chopping three trees, Lin Kai returned to his room, waiting impatiently for midnight. As the hours dragged on, it felt like an eternity, but eventually, it came.
Lin Kai stepped out of his room, stretching his limbs as he checked to see if anyone else was awake. After a quick glance around, it seemed like the coast was clear. Taking cautious steps, he didn't head straight for the clearing. Instead, he wandered a bit, making sure no one was watching. When he reached a desolate spot, he covered his face with a cloth, hid his robe and wooden token, and took one last look around before sprinting toward the bamboo forest.
His heart pounded in his chest as if it were trying to escape. He had prepared so much and taken such a risk. Lin Kai could only pray that nothing would go wrong.
In truth, he was overthinking it. The Ji family only guarded their important areas, and the bamboo forest wasn't considered one of them. No one would bother stealing bamboo. It was dirt cheap, and normal people would struggle just to cut one down. As for Martial artists... they wouldn't waste their time on something so trivial.
But Lin Kai didn't know that. So he ran as quietly as possible, terrified of making even the slightest sound.
After what felt like forever, he finally reached his destination.
"Phew..." He exhaled in relief, staring at the dense bamboo forest in front of him. Grabbing the axe, he swung it with all his might.
*Bang... Bang...
Two swings were enough to fell a bamboo tree. Lin Kai quickly dragged it into a denser part of the forest, away from prying eyes.
[Name: Lin Kai]
[Realm: 8th Step (False) (9/10 Iron Bones)]
[Skills: None]
With one last look at the panel, he grabbed the bamboo on the ground as a new window popped up.
[Absorb Iron Bamboo?]
[Yes/No]
Taking a deep breath, Lin Kai steadied his emotions and finally selected [Yes]...